Race To The Top “Winners” (2nd round) Announced – So Why Do I Feel Like We All Lost?

So the RttT 2nd round “winners“ were announced today and what bothered me about it the most I think, is that it shows that a very narrow-minded policy is going forward and the negative side of me sees only bad things for education. Not only because I disagree so vehemently with it’s narrow “one size fits all” approach, but that they have covered their tails by leaving it open to states to try other ways if they want, knowing that that isn’t going to happen for a whole bunch of reasons.

What bothers me more is that they/we are spending lots of money, and so when things don’t go well, or as well as they could have, (DANG! – we could have REALLY innovated and REALLY tried many diverse ways to change education for the good) but instead we will hear how AGAIN tons of money was spent and education is still poor and there won’t be the stomach for NOW funding truly innovative approaches that we could have learned from what worked, what didn’t, maybe that what works for some students in some locations doesn’t work for others in other locations â€¦ but we would have found out, or at least found out more than we know now â€¦ and that chance has been piddled away for maybe another 20 years (although I hope not).

I’m also left to wonder why not really demand many approaches? This education thing is supposedly a huge issue and problem. Why is there this very stubborn denial of trying any other pedagogical approach other than charter schools? I hate to say it, but it makes me suspicious that someone has the fix in to make this NOT work. (yes I’ve heard all that before and who it might be and why, end public schools, the billionaires boys club has become the education department because they are education experts somehow just because they are rich, it’s elitism at work, and so on) I guess I was hoping for more from our leaders and I’m frankly very disappointed and disillusioned about it today.

Will have to kick myself in the tail and put this behind me though and come up with a way to make hay. Have to believe it will have to be “messy learning” at its best!